Broncos’ Assistant Coach Stamps Authority on Hunt for Team’s Next QB
It could be said that behind every good HC, there's a good quarterbacks coach. When framed in the context of the Denver Broncos' ceaseless quest to find a young quarterback protégé, the sheer physical proximity of QB coach Davis Webb to head coach Sean Payton should only tell us part of the story.
Of course, Webb is only one year removed from hanging up his cleats at the tender age of 28, after which, the former career backup launched headlong into coaching NFL quarterbacks.
At the combine in Indianapolis, seeing Webb and Payton joined at the hip is entirely understandable, especially when you acknowledge the revolving door of signal callers passing through the Broncos interview room.
But when the QB prospects who have visited with Webb start name-dropping the young position coach, you start to more fully comprehend just how pivotal Webb is to the whole process.
"Davis Webb - he seemed right off the bat like one of the great quarterback coaches to play for," highly touted North Carolina signal-caller Drake Maye said of meeting Webb this week. " It was just fun being in there with those guys, getting that experience."
The fact is, the likes of Maye and USC star Caleb Williams are probably long gone when the Broncos come to hand over their draft card to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Irrespective of such brutal, inescapable realities, Webb still seems intent on intensively grilling every quarterback he spends time with - due diligence is coming attired with additional belts and braces in 2024. Creating a fun atmosphere for young quarterbacks to embrace and show their true personalities is only part of Webb and the Broncos' grand approach.
In the case of Washington's Michael Penix Jr., Webb threw the southpaw passer a curveball by shining the interrogation lamp brightly in the 23-year-old QB's eyes, which were already wide open at meeting coach Payton.
"Man, it was an interesting meeting," Penix said at the podium earlier this week. "It was different from the others. But I felt good. I felt confident going into it. Going out of it, I felt confident as well. Playing for coach Sean Payton would be special. Obviously, he's a great coach. One of the best in the game, you know. To be able to learn from him; it would be special.
Perhaps the most practical Broncos target at pick number 12 will be Michigan passer J.J. McCarthy, so the impressive 21-year-old breezed into a meeting with Webb and Co., and left suitably impressed with all of the Broncos coaches.
"It was awesome, you know," McCarthy enthused via DenverSports.com. " Coach Payton's energy, coach Webb, coach Lombardi. It was just really great to be in that room with them and go through tape. It was honestly a really fun time. It was a blessing, just to, you know, pick their brains a little bit and have them just shoot me questions left and right. Yeah, I enjoyed it.
Compatibility with the cream of this year's passing crop might already have been established. Indeed, that's a particularly good basecamp to have quickly established this fast, especially because the understanding that some tough love will be on the menu is already out in the open.
It also speaks volumes of just how much trust Payton has in Davis and his ability to stand up and be counted during the complex recruitment process. Making this upcoming decision on selecting the right quarterback to lead the Broncos forward over the next decade is a pressure-loaded scenario, and that's putting it mildly.
Therefore, having Webb step up to the plate with his creative input will prove a massive advantage for Coach Payton. Having said that, pulling all the threads of information together and pulling the trigger will rest solely with Payton on April 25th.
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